Muskegon Heights school eligible for up to $6 million in federal grants

Muskegon Heights High School is eligible for up to $6 million in federal grants that will be available to turn around the state’s lowest-performing schools.

Muskegon Heights ranked in the bottom 1 percent of schools in the state, according to the state department of education, with $119 million in federal stimulus funds available to turn around Michigan schools with the lowest 5 percent of MEAP and Michigan Merit Exam scores, and the lowest improvement to scores, from 2007 to 2009.

Each of the 108 schools on the list can apply for up to $2 million each year, for three years. Grant school district also is on the list.

“These are the lowest performing schools in the state and they will have unprecedented resources to begin turning around their school,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan said. “This is a unique opportunity.”

The money comes with strings, however. There are four methods a school can choose to adopt. A district can close a low-achieving school. It can alternatively choose to replace the school’s principal and at least 50 percent of its staff, and adopt a new governing structure and revised teaching program.

Another option is to close a school and reopen it under a charter school operator or education management organization. The fourth method involves replacing the principal; including student achievement in teacher evaluations; curriculum reforms and lengthening school days or years.

Schools have until Aug. 16 to apply and submit an improvement plan. The decision to apply for the grants and adopt a turnaround plan is voluntary.

The list of schools eligible for federal funds is different from the preliminary Race to the Top rankings, based on test scores from 2008 to 2010, which ranked Muskegon Heights High School as the worst in the state. The final rankings will be released this fall. The same schools are likely to be on both lists.

Other schools eligible for the improvement grants include Grant High School in Newaygo County, 47 schools in Detroit City School District and six buildings in Grand Rapids Public Schools.

Muskegon Heights High School principal Kathryn Curry and district superintendent Dana Bryant could not be reached for comment.